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Utilizing Resources as a Freshman: The Academic Success Center

Sadie Seagrave | Contributing writer

Desiree Wilson | Contributing writer

Elliott Singer | Contributing writer



Each year, hundreds of first-year students attend Eastern Connecticut State University. During this huge adjustment, freshmen are faced with a lot of new difficulties. These include homesickness, social and academic pressure, financial stress, and time management. Given their newfound independence, it is often challenging for college students to find a balance between their school, work, extracurriculars, and social lives. Problems with prioritization and procrastination hold students back from reaching their fullest potential. Having effective time management strategies is crucial to reduce stress and improve academic performance in students. Eastern’s Academic Success Center is there to assist students who may find themselves struggling with these issues as they navigate their first year of college.


In an interview with Jessica Ruddy, the director of First Year Advising, she explained that the ASC serves as a sort of “umbrella term.” It houses 7 different offices: the advising center, math achievement center, writing center, global learning, opportunity programs, career services, and tutoring & learning strategies. Alison Whitcomb is the director of the Academic Success Center, who works alongside the coordinators of the individual offices to provide students with the resources they need. The agency's goal, as stated on its website, is to “assist Eastern students in realizing their highest level of achievement possible.” While each office has its own mission, they collectively want to ensure that students are successful, graduating on time, understanding their degree, and recognizing the resources available. It is their mission to make sure that all students are supported throughout their college experience.


Information about this organization is easily accessible. It begins when a high school or transfer student starts looking into colleges and universities. After a student applies to Eastern, they will receive an email from the advising center to assist them in registration for first-semester courses. Information can be found online by searching “ASC” on the Eastern Connecticut State University website, or in person at the offices on the first floor of the library.


The purpose of the Academic Success Center is stated in its name; to help ECSU students to succeed in their academics. Less explicitly, the ASC is there for when you need someone to go to. From help with class schedules to every facet of tutoring, to career readiness, the Academic Success Center really does have everything. During her interview, Jessica Ruddy laid out some of the lesser-known functions of the ASC; helping students navigate their 4 years at Eastern, alleviating stress, traversing the university setting in general with policies and procedures, providing insight on what to take and when to take it, inform on opportunities that should be taken advantage of, and how to find success within your major and classes. The Academic Success Center is a place you can go to with pretty much any academic-related question and is an integral part of the Eastern community.

The ASC does a lot to provide for the student population at Eastern. The organization prides itself on being approachable to students, hosting various workshops and events with the intent of making school life a little less confusing. Programs such as the Eastern in 4 workshop help students navigate the tedious and often difficult process of selecting classes. They create a unique spreadsheet for each student, that lays out the major and minor graduation requirements and offers advice on what classes should be taken and when. These outreach opportunities make the college experience at Eastern a lot more familiar and comfortable for students.


Adjusting to college life as a freshman can be pretty difficult. A lot more freedom can come with this adjustment, but so can lapse in judgment. We asked Jessica Ruddy for her tips for freshmen.


1) School comes first

Making new friends and sharing new experiences is an essential part of college, but you should never put fun above responsibility. After all, you are paying to be here.


2) Know your limits

Some students will overcommit to extracurricular activities and overwork themselves, while others will refuse to try anything new and accidentally isolate themselves. Make sure you put yourself out there, but not to the point of social or academic burnout. The only person who knows what you can handle is you.


3) Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Being thrown headfirst into a different world can be challenging, but there are always people you can talk to. Whether it’s academic or personal, there are resources available to you, but to get that help you need to be willing to reach out.

Knowing how much to study for each class can be quite intimidating. It all depends on what classes the student is taking and what professors they have. Students should use the syllabus to know how much homework they will need to be doing. A general rule for studying is 3 hours of studying for every hour of the class. This sounds nerve-racking to most people, but it must be understood that students are typically only in each class for 3 hours a week. The suggestion is to study before class, during class, and after class. This helps to get a good amount of exposure to the topics so that information can be retained. This suggestion is not always going to be possible for students, but it is a basic suggestion for students to follow if they don’t know how much to study.


Stress can cause a lot of problems for many students, so it is important to know how to manage it. The first step in managing stress is knowing where the stress is coming from; whether it’s because of schoolwork, issues with family or friends, or other stressors. A good thing to do is talk about and establish goals so students have a purpose for what they’re doing. It helps to know all the options that are available to lower stress levels. Overall, it is normal to be stressed out. The transition from high school to college can be overwhelming, so it should be prepared for before it happens. It is important to note that challenging things are inevitable, but students should be easy on themselves when they do appear.

Students attending Eastern should be aware of the services available to them. The ASC has several offices, each with an individual focus that works to improve student success. About 93% of all students have interacted with at least one of these offices during their freshman year. Many are required to complete a certain number of hours in the math achievement center, and almost all first-year students will interact with the advising center towards the beginning of the year to determine what classes they will be taking in the fall. The ASC is a wonderful resource that all students should take advantage of to assist them in their time at Eastern.

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